Glorious
by followerofanpu
Summary: Yearning for her freedom, Isabel decides to leave the city. Rated M for sexual situations ;) This is my very first fan fiction and also my favorite.
1. Chapter 1

Isabel left the walled city one night several weeks after Priest had declared the new vampire menace. The church had immediately overreacted, banning everyone from leaving the city. Those who were caught trying to flee were arrested. She made her escape under the cover of a raging thunderstorm. Nothing could be heard over the crashes of thunder and the pounding of the rain.

"Where do you think you're going?"

She turned and saw Priest glowering at her.

"The war is only beginning," he said. "It's not safe out there."

"I don't care," she told him. "I can't stand it here anymore. The church has everyone caged in like prisoners. This city has become our prison, Priest."

"That may be," he said, "but you'll find far worse things out there."

"So be it," Isabel said. "I have to be free, and being a priestess is a curse I'll endure no longer."

She pulled the hood of her robes tighter around her head and whirled away from him, walking as fast as she could.

"Leaving the church isn't the answer!" he called out to her.

"Isabel, wait!"

She could hear footsteps running behind her. It was Priestess. These days she never left Priest's side.

"Isabel, wait!" Priestess called again. "Please reconsider!"

"Sorry, Priestess," Isabel said. "I can't stay here any longer. Whatever awaits me out there is my true destiny."

After climbing over the wall (no easy feat in the pouring rain), Isabel began her way south. She didn't really know where she was going, she just needed to get as far away from the city as possible.

Being adopted by the church at an early age, Isabel never knew what it was like to be a normal girl. As long as she could remember, she had been fed all the religious mumbo-jumbo she could stand. That she could have tolerated, if she had been chosen to be trained by the warrior priests. Instead, she had been looked over time and time again. She had even asked Priest himself, to teach her the ways of the warrior. He had refused, just like every other warrior priest.

"_You're too young, Isabel."_

Priest had even went so far as to tell her that she didn't have enough faith. Well of course she lacked faith! How could you have faith or believe in God when every single day of your life was spent locked up inside a city so dark that the sun was never seen? God was supposed to be the creator of everything in life that was beautiful. Why would he have his children locked up like animals?

She walked until she came to the desert. Unsure of her location, she decided to continue in the same direction. No sense wandering around in circles. She walked on until she became too tired to walk any farther. Finding a shallow cave that looked like it had once been home to a coyote, she lay down and fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

She awoke with the dawn. The sunlight streaming in through the mouth of the cave blinded her and caused her momentary panic. Isabel, not seeing the light in so long, felt a temporary return for the love of the God she had used to believe in. Stepping out into the morning, she was stunned to see the desert in a new and wondrous light. The sun was a huge red and orange fireball in the sky, touching everything in its warmth. She gazed at the scenery around her for several moments before she started making her way southward once again.

She had walked for over an hour when the sun's rays started to become overwhelming. Isabel stopped and pulled a water pouch from her robes, taking a long and delicious drink of the fresh rainwater she had gathered the previous night. It was then that she noticed the railroad tracks, barely noticeable under the constantly shifting sand. She followed them. Several miles she followed them until she came upon the scene of a wreck. A freight train, several miles long, lay in shattered pieces. The wreckage scattered around her in all directions. She didn't stay long enough to investigate. She could smell fear and rage and wanted nothing more than to leave the steel carnage behind her.

A sudden scream filled the air. Isabel whirled around, afraid and wishing she had not have come this way. The scream died on the wind. Isabel's heart was thudding wildly in her chest. Straining her ears, she began to wonder if she had imagined it. It came again, rising and falling on the wind: a scream of pain and pure rage. Instinct took over and she was running before she was even aware of doing so. She leaped over a chunk of partially melted steel and nearly fell on top of a badly burned man.

She gasped and knelt down to see if she could help. His face was smeared with dirt and blood and his clothing was in tatters. She pulled out the water pouch and placed it at his lips. He drank greedily and looked at her with brown-yellow eyes.

"Thank you," he croaked.

"You're welcome," Isabel answered as she returned the now empty pouch to her robes.

His gaze was very intense, his eyes seemed to burn with the ferocity of the sun as he took her in.

"You're a priest," he said, noticing her robes.

"Yes," Isabel said. "At least, I used to be."


	3. Chapter 3

"You're a priest," he said, noticing her robes.

"Yes," Isabel said. "At least, I used to be."

He didn't say anything more. He just continued to look at her strangely. As if he didn't trust her. It was almost as if he was afraid.

"You're hurt," Isabel said, noticing the awful burns on his body.

He laughed, startling her. "I'll be all right," he said.

"No," Isabel protested. "It's not all right. You're badly burned. I need to get you someplace where I can treat you."

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Isabel. What's yours?"

"I'm called Black Hat."

She smiled. "I don't see any hat."

He groaned and sat up. "Damn," he cursed. "I liked that hat."

She helped him stand and had to take a closer look at his body. Just moments before he had horribly burned. Now she couldn't see the burns. Just a few scrapes and bruises.

He laughed again. "I told you I would be all right."

Isabel shook her head and smiled. "I think I've been out in the sun too long."

"So have I," said Black Hat. "I don't even remember how long I've been out here."

"What happened?" Isabel asked. "Were you onboard the train?"

"Yeah. I was on my way to the city. There was an explosion. That's all I remember."

"Lucky you weren't seriously hurt."

"Yeah. Luck."

They walked together, making their way once again south. Isabel was growing steadily more weary. Strangely the man beside her seemed to have found his second wind. His pace grew faster and his strides became longer. He seemed to have sensed that she was falling behind. He stopped and turned around.

"We aren't much farther from an old homestead. We can rest there."

She nodded and followed behind him. She was tired, but not so tired as to ignore the pleasing image of his strong form walking proudly in front of her.

They soon reached the house. From the looks of it, it had once been a farmhouse. The remains of a barn stood off to the side from it. The front door was missing and the windows were boarded up, but aside from that it looked solid. It didn't matter to Isabel what the place looked like. Just as long as it offered adequate shelter from the blazing heat.

Isabel followed Black Hat inside the house, stumbling across the threshold. He turned and caught her before she fell. Scooping her up into his arms, he carried her into the master bedroom. He laid her down on the bed and left. She tried to say thank you, but was too tired. She closed her eyes and immediately slept.


	4. Chapter 4

When she awoke it was the middle of the night. She was hungry and thirsty. The house was almost pitch black, and she fumbled around the night stand for a candle and match. Once she had found a candle and lit it, she left the bedroom and went into the kitchen. She nearly fainted when Black Hat appeared in front of her.

"Didn't mean to scare you," he said, charming her with his southern drawl.

"It's okay," Isabel replied. "I was just trying to find something to eat."

He motioned to the kitchen table. "Do you like wild boar?"

Her mouth began watering at the spread on the table. Roasted boar, vegetables, bread, and a decanter of red wine. "You didn't have to go through all this trouble." "Trust me, it was no trouble. You must be starving."

"Aren't you going to eat?" she asked.

"I already ate."

She sat down and poured herself a glass of wine. Black Hat sat down opposite her and seemed content to watch her eat.

"So you said earlier that you used to be a priest."

"Yes. At least, I was raised by the priesthood. I never actually believed in the religion they kept trying to force down my throat." She paused and took a bite of meat.

"How is it?" he asked.

"Delicious! Anyway, the longer I lived in the city, the more I yearned to be free from it. I needed to get out, see the world. I want to do what I want, when I want. You know?"

"I understand. Sooner or later everyone loses their faith in God. Sometimes it comes back, and sometimes it doesn't."

"You used to be a priest too, didn't you?" she asked. He didn't answer. He just stared at her with those intense eyes. "I'm sorry," she hurriedly replied. "It's just that I couldn't help but notice the way you looked at me when you noticed my robes. I saw the recognition in your eyes. Plus, you still have the tattoo."

"That was in another life," he said after a while. "Before the war."

They remained silent until she was finished eating.

"Thank you for the meal," Isabel said.

"You're welcome."

There was something about him that excited her. She could feel strength radiating from him. There was also lust. He was so dark and tall and handsome. Just looking at him made her heart beat faster in her chest. For the first time in her life, she became aware of the fact that she was a woman and he was a man. No longer did she have to ignore these feelings. The church no longer controlled her life. She was free now.

He stood and walked over to her. "I've been able to control myself so far," he said to her. "But I can't help but notice the way you've been looking at me."

Was she that obvious? He could probably read her mind. He reached out and gently brushed her cheek. So electric was his touch, Isabel swore she bolts of lightning leap from his hands.

"Even I can't deny myself this humanly pleasure any longer," he growled. Before she could blink he had ripped the robes from her body, making her stand before him naked and vulnerable. She closed her eyes as she felt his hot breath in her face and his rough hands sink into her flesh. "A virgin," he said as he inhaled her scent, "offering herself for sacrifice."

She moaned in pleasure as he kissed her, arms wrapping around her and holding her tightly against his hard body. His tongue tasted her hungrily as he explored her willing mouth. She opened her eyes as his hands momentarily left her skin. She looked expectantly at him as he removed his own clothing. Marveling at his perfect form she couldn't help but stare at his erection. _So large, _she thought. _How would he ever fit?_

"I'll be as gentle as I can," he said to her.

Suddenly he was upon her, his body pressing urgently against her soft and trembling self. She could feel the hot juices of her forbidden self flowing freely down her thighs. With one arm wrapped around her waist, Black Hat used his opposite hand to caress the triangle of flesh between her legs. Feeling her eagerness, he dropped to his knees and kissed her in her most intimate place. She whimpered and spread her legs wider for him. Unable to resist, he began sucking at her juices, inhaling her scent of arousal.

"Please," she panted as his tongue entered her. "No more."

She was afraid she would explode right there without knowing the most ultimate pleasure of having him inside her.

"Don't worry," he said. "A woman can be brought to the edge many times." As he said this he continued with his wonderful torture, using his lips and tongue until she shuddered violently and came into her first orgasm. He wiped his mouth and stood, pulling her against him once more.

"I had no idea," she gasped.

He grinned devilishly. "We're not finished yet." And with that he thrust his penis inside her, breaching her innocence and making her scream with pain and pleasure. Her legs wrapped around his waist and she clung to him as he thrust into her again and again. Just when she thought she couldn't take it anymore, they both exploded into each other and cried out as they reached orgasm simultaneously.

Breathing heavily, he brushed a strand of hair from out of her face.

"Was it good for you?" he asked.

"Glorious," she whispered as he gently kissed her lips.

He held her a while longer, kissing her and whispering huskily into her ear.

"I wish things could have been different," he said to her. "I wish I could have met you before the war. Before the day my human life ended. Then we could have left the priesthood together."

A single tear rolled down her cheek and she nodded. "That would have been wonderful. So much pain and suffering could have been avoided. So much blood. . ." She stopped when she saw the contorted look on his face.

"I can't deny what I've become," he growled.

"I know that," she said, finally coming to terms with the fact that he was the infamous vampire that had started the war with Priest. "I'm sorry."

"So am I."

She gasped as his mouth closed over her throat, his sharp fangs crunching down through skin and muscle. So unexpected was the speed of his attack, but also was the pleasure. The penetration of his fangs brought to mind their lovemaking and she was amazed to find herself aroused again. As she felt the blood draining from her body, she also felt the fear leaving her as well. She wrapped a leg around his waist and arched her back so that they could be as close together as possible.

The former priestess wasn't the only one aroused. Black Hat felt himself harden once again inside her, filling her more completely than he had previously. He continued to drink from her as he thrust into her again and again until he made her climax a third and incredibly a fourth time until he himself came at last. He was finally able to tear his mouth from her throat as she slumped against him spent.

Immediately, he realized his mistake. He had taken too much. Her skin had gone a horrible shade of gray. No, he couldn't let that happen to her. He couldn't let her become a familiar. He would destroy himself first.

"Priestess," he whispered, shaking her. She didn't answer. Instead she began to convulse. He had little time, so fast were the changes occurring. He raked his fangs against his wrist, making himself bleed. He pressed it against her lips, hoping she would drink. "Damn it," he cried, shaking her again. "Wake up!"

He had no way of knowing if the venom of the Queen would act upon her the same way it did on him, but he had to try. He had been alone far too long. He wouldn't have this woman sacrifice everything to him for nothing.

She parted her lips and spoke.

"Please," she whispered. "Please help me."

"Then drink," he urged.

Meekly she pressed her lips against his wrist and licked at the dark blood that dripped down his hand. When her strength had left her completely, he cradled her into his arms and let his blood drip into her partly open mouth. Unbeknownst to himself, he had uttered a prayer.

"Please God," he said. "Make this work."

How long he held her, he didn't know, but was relieved when she at last opened her eyes and stared up into his face.

"Am I dead?" she asked.

"That depends on your definition of dead."

"Then, I'm a-"

"Go ahead. Say it!" he cried.

She saw the self-inflicted wound on his wrist and wiped the drying blood from her lips.

"I'm a vampire," she breathed.

"My strength will soon be yours," he said to her. "We will share something wonderful and glorious that will bind us together as no mortal life ever could." He helped her stand and touched his forehead to hers. "I will be yours and you will be mine. Forever."

"Forever is a long time," she said softly.

"That's why I don't want to be alone any longer."

She smiled and wiped a tear from her eye. "I never imagined my life would end up this way."

He gave a half-smile. "Didn't we use to believe that God worked in all ways, no matter how mysterious?"

"We did," she laughed. "And I guess in a way, it's true."

Isabel had fled the walled city for a reason. She had wanted freedom. She had found it: the freedom to live as she wanted with a man of her own choosing. Indefinitely.


End file.
